Sunday, June 24, 2007

THE SITUATION:The New Orleans mental health infrastructure is in crisis, due to a surge in PTSD and other mental health issues following the greatest natural disaster in the history of the United States and the largest Psychiatric/Behavioural Health Hospital Tulane-DePaul, remains closed. In the midst of this region-wide crisis, it seems that there is a grass-roots effort in a socially upscale neighborhood surrounding the Tulane-DePaul behavioral hospital, to keep the hospital closed.

NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard)

Within a week I have watched as more and more signs are boldly put on lawns in this wealthy neighborhood. I think to myself as I photograph their beautiful homes with the "NO" signs on them "It doesn't seem to matter to this group of people that the hospital has served this community for over a hundred years or that thousands in the city are in crisis.

"NIMBY" syndrome seems to be spreading regardless.

PTSD - Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Whatever the source of the problem, some people with PTSD repeatedly relive the trauma in the form of nightmares and disturbing recollections during the day. They may also experience sleep problems, depression, feeling detached or numb, or being easily startled. They may lose interest in things they used to enjoy and have trouble feeling affectionate. They may feel irritable, more aggressive than before, or even violent:

Seeing things that remind them of the incident may be very distressing, which could lead them to avoid certain places or situations that bring back those memories. Anniversaries of the event are often very difficult."

PTSD can occur at any age, including childhood. The disorder can be accompanied by depression, substance abuse, or anxiety. Symptoms may be mild or severe--people may become easily irritated or have violent outbursts. In severe cases they may have trouble working or socializing. Symptoms - Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

They report ongoing mental health stresses among all levels of the population, severe fatigue setting in among caregivers, a health care system that continues to be ignored by politicians in Baton Rouge and Washington—all resulting in a city that is demonstrating widespread mental and emotional disorders similar to PTSD and a variety of complicating physical issues.

African-American ministers, accustomed to providing spiritual guidance to their congregations, are helping members cope with serious mental and emotional disorders nearly a year after Hurricane Katrina hit.

"It is, at times, overwhelming," said Rev. Larry Campbell, assistant pastor of Israelite Baptist Church in the Central City neighborhood. He has counseled worshipers with substance abuse problems and suicidal thoughts, referring some to mental health professionals, when possible.

New Orleans was a social service nightmare before Katrina. It's mental health infrastructure was likely underfunded like many other inner city services. But the results of the devastating trauma of Katrina spawned flood, people are stressed beyond their ability to cope. Psychiatric beds have shrunk by 80% while many professionals have abandoned the city along with half it it's residents.

…the most serious health problems directly attributable to the storm have been mental, not physical. In the four months between Aug. 29 and the end of 2005, the Orleans Parish coroner’s office “conservatively” estimates that the suicide rate tripled.”

"People with pre-existing conditions that are made worse by the stress of living here after the storm. "There is no doubt in my mind that Katrina is still killing our residents." Orleans Parish coroner Dr. Frank Minyard said this week.

Due to a severe shortage in emergency room and hospital beds, some psychiatric patients in need of chronic mental health care are being housed in jails. Police officers and paramedics are also being forced to remain with psychiatric patients until beds become available.

Charity used to have nearly 100 psychiatric beds, in addition to a 40-bed crisis intervention unit where doctors could evaluate mental patients when police picked them up on the street. The Charity doctors knew many of the city's mentally ill by name and could take custody of them minutes after police brought them to the emergency room.

(Charity: De Paul-Tulane Hospital - "the neighbors view")

With that crisis intervention unit now closed, …officers have to escort mental patients to the emergency rooms at private and community hospitals… The police department is transporting about 185 to 200 mental patients per month. The department handled 207 psychiatric patients in March, the most ever in one month. Our police are spending an enormous amount of man hours baby-sitting mental health patients because of the inability to get them admitted to the hospitals.” Terry Ebbert, NOLA Homeland Security Director "

We're about to head full-force into the hurricane season, and invariably the country will spend a few moments revisiting the stricken Gulf Coast region, but particularly New Orleans. …We'll hear questions about levies, rebuilding and the city's economy."

We face a tremendous challenge now with a greater need for inpatient and outpatient mental health services, an increase in the number of people suffering depression as a result of their loss, the devastation that surrounds them, and a deficit of 300 psychiatric hospital beds.

Storm survivors are dying from the effects of both psychological and physical stress, ranging from the dust and mold still in dwellings to financial problems to fear of crime, health experts and officials say.

"We lost the whole mental health infrastructure in the storm.” "It was inadequate before. Then we lost the clinics, the hospitals, the staff and the administration.". Compounding the problem: More people are suffering from mental ailments.

"The city has seen a dramatic increase in depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress"

You may find upon the reading of these articles that some of them are nearly 2 years old - the information contained in them is not only prescient but relevant to the situation on the ground in New Orleans.

No comments:

TRUTH-FORCE ('SATYAGRAHA') AND THE FUTURE OF THE EARTH

The root meaning of 'Satyagraha', according to Mahatma Gandhi, was the force of truth or the soul-force that underlay the philosophy and practice of non-violent resistance. This force could move mountains and set men free.

Today, the challenges of life ask us to more firmly hold onto the force of truth within us so that we may stand aligned with the peoples of the world who are suffering, and with the earth itself that is in great need.

"WE ARE NOT OKAY"

NEW ORLEANS 2 YEARS LATER

A LONG WAY HOME - FIVE STORIES IN THE MIDST OF HUNDREDS OF ELDERLY RESIDENTS IN KATRINA-TORN NEW ORLEANSPHOTOGRAPHS AND AUDIO FROM GENARO MOLINA OF THE LA TIMES:Charles TaylorIn the Lower Ninth Ward, 81-year-old Charles Taylor has taken matters into his own hands and is rebuilding his home. After going through chemotherapy and radiation for stomach cancer in Mississippi, he felt well enough to make his way back to New Orleans to fix up his home. Narrated gallery

Joyce Boudousquie and Tommy Bilich Though some of the elderly are forced to go it alone, others have banded together. Joyce Boudousquie, 73, and Tommy Bilich, 75, struck up a friendship that Katrina could not tear apart. “Some neighbor of mine who is very close to me introduced me to Tommy and we became friends,” Joyce said.Narrated gallery

Joyce Simms Woods Joyce Simms Wood, 77, is surrounded by the few possessions that Hurricane Katrina did not steal from her. She’s been living in a FEMA trailer with dogs Ricky and Spreckles as her only companions, along with a TV that’s never turned off. “Everybody wants to go home, but I’m not home,” she said.Narrated gallery

Andrew Frick An ailing Andrew Frick, 84, bides his time in a FEMA trailer park while waiting for construction on his home in St. Bernard Parish to wrap up. Memories of his beloved wife, who passed away last year after 46 years of marriage, have sustained him through the rough patches.Narrated gallery

Juliette and John Allen Juliette Allen, 64, visits the area where her house once stood in the Lower Ninth, now a wide patch of dirt. She and husband John, 74, plan to return. Although they live in a small, roach-infested home in the Lower Garden District, Juliette counts her blessings to be in New Orleans. Narrated gallery

WANT TO DO SOMETHING TO HELP?

Each of the following ads seek much needed help and are not asking for a lot of commitment. A 'burst' of help is needed...

Desperately Seeking Donations

We are a community advocacy non-profit 501(c)3 agency assisting individuals with disabilities. We desperately need donations (cars...running, household items, or other things of value) to help fund our community-based program. Your donations will help individuals with disabilities find and develop income producing ventures to enhance their lives. Tax donation forms available.

Call Christopher or Sue at (504)366-8801.

BOOKS 2 PRISONERS NEEDS HELP MOVING/BUILDING

We are moving our program back to it's post K home.

We need help framing and hanging the walls, and them moving the stuff.

for more info go to http:// www.geocities.com/books2prisoners

Posted: December 27, 2007

HELP ACTIVE DUTY MILITARY THIS HOLIDAY...

...so I'm just a regular guy who heard a very sad thing on the radio. A soldier stationed in Baghdad said, "This is not America's war, this in only a soldiers war on TV some place far far away."

He's right. What sacrifices have I made...not many. Regardless of whether you agree or don't agree (and I don't, vehemently), the fact is those guys and gals are doing it and dying for it under the flag of our United States.

So this holiday season, my organization, Grass Matts, is going to find homes in New Orleans of active duty military personnel and go cut their grass, trim a hedge, or paint a mail box.

Whatever chore they may need for half a day or so. If anyone is interested in joining me to say thank you with deeds and not just words, please send me an email or give me a call.

FROM YOUR PLANETARY SISTER:Helping, I have found is not always about doing the big, grand things, often helping can be at it's most meaningful when we are helping another planetary brother and sister in meaningful ways for them. This could be something you can do, if you want to help, by setting the blog for Kamp Katrina and showing them how to upload future articles and pictures. Once it has been started and organized, MS Pearl could take it from there. Or, she could find someone else who would be willing to help in the next phase. Here's the thing I have found out about "helping" - it can feel like a small thing to you, whilst at the same time, feel like a very big thing to the recipient. PEACE.

NEW ORLEANS AREA HABITAT FOR HUMANITY SEEKS VOLUNTEERS!

Looking for a way to thank the thousands of volunteers from all over the world who have come to New Orleans to offer their support?New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity is seeking volunteers to help renovate Camp Hope, our volunteer housing in Saint Bernard. Help us make Camp Hope a comfortable, affordable, place to house our volunteers who have travelled from afar to help rebuild our city! For more information please contact Melissa Manuselis atvolunteer@habitat-nola.org.

Welcome...

This is a challenging blog to read... it is a difficult blog to write. The challenges and difficulties are even greater for those living the reality I that I document and photograph. After I have finished with a day of volunteering and photographing, I have the opportunity to walk away from the worst of the suffering. Not so for the families, the children, and the elderly, living in the toxic FEMA trailers, the abandoned houses, violence prone and devastated neighborhoods. Their suffering is ongoing and profound. I have never met stronger people of faith.

In our modern society I have noticed that many people spend an awful lot of time avoiding suffering and pain. That's what makes this blog so challenging to read and to "be with". I am sure there will be those who come to this site and wonder "why doesn't she post more positive things?" I am photographing and writing about the reality that I am witnessing and I understand that after a long day at work or trying to get through your own lives, how you would want to push the painful photo's and experiences I write about, away.

Here's the thing, if there weren't so many instances and experiences of suffering in New Orleans, I would have nothing to document or photograph. Yet there are far too many. And so, I write, I photograph, I pray, I cry, and I feel my profound helplessness as I witness the suffering and the hardships endured by local New Orleanians daily - many seeking to overcome (and overcoming) incredible difficulties and sufferation, whilst others succumb to fates of hopelessness, poverty, crime, and illiteracy.

This blog is my contribution to the beautiful people of New Orleans. When I have finished my work in New Orleans, I plan donate all the photo’s I have taken to an archive, as many of the photo‘s are anthropological in nature.

Everything on this site is meant to be shared, to inspire, and to help educate the millions in this country and elsewhere on this planet who believe that 2 years after Katrina and the levee breaks, that "everything must be okay now".

2 years after Katrina and the levee breaks, for thousands of New Orleanians, everything “is not okay“.

Volunteers are still needed. Especially people who can help rebuild. Even more so, psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, counselors, and spiritual counselors who are willing to come down and volunteer. Your help is still needed. Your financial donations are needed. Your love is needed. Your prayers and blessings are needed.

Spread the word. Feel free to use anything on this website. All I ask is that you credit what you use to this web-site so that people will be able to read more about what I have witnessed occurring to thousands still suffering in New Orleans.

IRAQ IS OUR VIETNAM AND NEW ORLEANS IS OUR BIRMINGHAM

"This moment in history is our generation’s lunch-counter moment -Iraq is our Vietnam and New Orleans is our Birmingham. Our generation could be the generation to defeat racism, poverty and war, but only if we come together as people of conscience."

REBUILDING-DISASTER RESOURCES: NOLA

"Do you ever see the rainbow in the sky? Do the colors fight amongst themselves? Then why should mankind fight amongst themselves trough their different colors? The whole world is a garden and all the people in it are his flowers and we all beautify this garden with all our different colors. As the rainbow is in the heavens so are we, as rainbow people in his earth. Jah made all colors so all things bright and beautiful, all creatures great and small, all things wise and wonderful he made them all. Each little flower that opens, and each little bird that sings he made their glowing colors and he made their tiny wings. So remember: What does it profit a man to gain the whole word and lose his soul."

PERSONAL "PLANETARY" RESONANCE

IN GRATITUDE...

To the Volunteers - Who responded with love and kindness. Most of all, to those who came and gutted out the houses - a toxic job and a special job - as your work involved the 'gutting out' of lives, histories, and heritiages. Your work was so important in the first phase of the ongoing healing process. It is the volunteers - past, present, and future, who are an essential key to the rebuilding of trust and hope... by your very presence. Thank you.

To the People of the Heart - Thank you for trusting me and allowing me into your lives to share your pain with you. Most of all, for your smiles and waves as I drive through your communities, and a gratitude which is expressed in your hugs and words of love and blessings. To be seen with love through your eyes is to "be seen". I am humbled by your strength, courage, and dignity.

On Suffering and Compassion:

"The experience of woundedness has been a part of the history of souls on earth. The experience of wholeness is the 'new' history, whose pages are beginning to be written."
Julie Redstonewww.LightOmega.org